Supplements

Supplements are a controversial element of the diet. Basically, a supplement is something that can be added in small amounts to a rabbit's diet to improve their body condition, coat condition, or fertility. For these reasons, some breeders give lots of supplements. Other breeders do not supplement, but instead rely feed a high quality feed and select for rabbits with these traits.

​NOTE: With all supplements, check with the manufacturer and do your research as to how much is safe to feed. With certain supplements, overfeeding could be deadly.

​Flax seeds and Black Oil Sunflower Seeds (BOSS) are readily available from many feed stores, and aid in improving coat condition. Calf Manna and Doc's Rabbit Enhancer can be purchased from KW Cages and other retailers. These improve body and coat condition. Oxy-Gen is a popular supplement that I have used on occasion. I like it, just not as much as BOSS. Oxy-Gen is supposed to increase fertility, improve body and coat condition, and help rabbits out of molts. I use it sometimes to help a rabbit out of a particularly nasty molt when there's a show the rabbit is meant to attend soon. Only use a very small amount, like, a few pellets a day, or you could risk your rabbit's life. Do not feed to pregnant does as it could cause the kits to grow too big in the womb.

​Organic rolled oats can be fed in small quantities, and help in improving general condition. Many people feed them to young kits, saying that it helps lessen fatalities in weaning kits, but other people say the opposite is true of rolled oats. I have no experience feeding them so can offer no advice either way.

​Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) is another popular supplement, which is added to water in small amounts to improve fertility of breeding rabbits. I have never used it myself as I prefer to select for the most fertile rabbits.

​There's only one supplement that I would say is necessary. Dried papaya is used by almost all breeders and pet owners, as it helps prevent GI stasis, which is a very common cause of death in rabbits. The enzymes in the papaya break down the hair and help it pass through easily. GI stasis is caused by fur building up in the gut and causing a blockage. The blockage becomes very very dangerous because rabbits can't throw up hairballs like cats do. The blockage causes the rabbit to refuse to eat. Because rabbits' digestive systems are so sensitive, if they don't eat for even a short amount of time, they can die. Surgeries can be performed, but most often the surgeries aren't successful.

At Lots of Lops, I feed two supplements: dried papaya, and BOSS. Each of my rabbits over 8 weeks old gets a small piece of dried papaya every other day. I don't overdo it as the papaya is quite sugary for them. I feed each rabbit over 3 months old 5 BOSS per day, except for my pregnant/lactating does. This makes their coats glossier.